


blue flavor

by sheptem



Category: Avengers Assemble (Cartoon)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Missing Scene, Pre-Relationship, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-05
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-15 14:34:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28565388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sheptem/pseuds/sheptem
Summary: Steve doesn't deal with the aftermath of their last mission well.Post-episode: s01e13 In Deep.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 15
Kudos: 80





	blue flavor

**Author's Note:**

> not beta read

The first thing Steve did after the debrief was to take a long, scalding hot shower. Normally cleaning himself up would have taken him only a few minutes, but wearing the Crossbones’ uniform had left a bad taste in his mouth, even if he had a good reason for doing that. So he decided to _indulge_ a little, something Tony always encouraged him to do, although Steve wasn’t sure if that was what Tony had in mind when he suggested that. The drawn-out shower didn’t help much, though. He tried not to think about the amount of water he’d wasted.

The mission had been Steve’s idea. He simultaneously wanted to forget about that fact and was glad that they’d decided to carry it out after all. He’d felt it was necessary if they wanted to be ready to take on the Red Skull and the Cabal. He didn’t want the Avengers to be taken by surprise, again.

A few weeks ago, it had almost cost them not only his own life but also Tony’s. And _yeah, okay_ , Steve was a soldier, he was fine with dying in the heat of battle, he was prepared for that even back before taking the serum, and he _had, in fact,_ already died for his country once. But what if next time it wouldn’t be him, but one of his teammates? 

They had to be ready.

Still…

 _Some things could have gone down differently today_ , he mused to himself, as he rummaged through his wardrobe to pick up a fresh set of clothes.

_“Captain Rogers.”_

It had taken Steve some time to adjust and train himself out of flinching whenever he heard JARVIS’ voice resonating through the walls. That sight used to make Clint snicker, and now he just bemoaned the loss of yet another source of entertainment.

Steve held the clothes up to his chest. It wasn’t that he felt self-conscious or that he thought that the A.I. actually cared about Steve’s state of undress, but it was only polite to cover himself while talking to others, right?

“Yes, JARVIS?”

_“Sir has asked me to inform you that he won’t be present during your weekly movie night.”_

“Did he gave a reason?”

_“He simply wishes to retire for tonight earlier.”_

That made Steve pause for a moment. Tony always showed up for movie nights, even when he was too exhausted to pay attention to the movie playing on the screen. Sometimes he fell asleep halfway through, but he's never seemed to mind that. He's seen most of them before. It was more about the commitment, anyway. They had all decided to make more effort this time. They trained with each other a few times a week and generally made each other aware of their schedules and/or indispositions. Nobody wanted a repeat of the disbandment.

“Is Tony in his room now?”

_“In the workshop, Captain.”_

Steve sighed.

Just like JARVIS had said, Tony was still in his workshop, completely oblivious to the fact that Steve has been observing him for a good minute before he decided to announce his arrival.

Sixty seconds was enough time for Steve to thoroughly study the ugly bruise Tony was sporting on his cheek.

The bruise that Steve’s own fist had left.

“I don’t think Widow will be too happy if you miss her turn to pick the movie.”

Tony jumped a little, eyes widening guiltily when he saw the expression on Steve’s face.

“Shit,” he said, running his hand through his hair. “Steve—“

“Why didn’t you ice it?” Steve asked, taking a few tentative steps towards Tony, and-

He clenched his jaw. He vividly remembered pulling his punch, not wanting to _hurt_ Tony, but needing to make it believable for the Red Skull and others.

It had been a pretty solid punch, he knew. Tony didn’t even make any of his usual jokes about it.

“Can I—“

Tony sighed, gestured his hand as if to say “go on”.

Steve knew that Tony was only humoring him but decided not to comment on it. He gently took Tony’s face in his hands, trying to swallow the lump in his throat. Tony's breathing was even, and he held himself still, as Steve traced the swollen flesh with his fingers, carefully monitoring Tony's reactions.

Steve did not remember it looking _that_ bad two hours ago.

“Does it hurt?” he asked quietly, letting his hands fall to the side, but he didn’t step away from Tony, studying his face.

“Had worse,” Tony shrugged, smiling slightly. Steve wondered if that alone made his skin pull enough for him to feel the burn. “Seriously, Steve, it’s fine.”

“I should have come up with something different," Steve said bitterly.

Tony scoffed, just like Steve predicted he would.

“Like what? Let it go, Cap. My face will go back to normal in a few days.” Steve _doubted_ that. “And we're both fine. If it weren’t for that, who knows what would have happened to us?”

He was right, but that— That _wasn’t_ the point _at all_.

Steve still didn’t say anything, so Tony continued, hands on his hips.

“How is this any different from me taking a punch during sparring? And don’t say that I wasn’t wearing my armor. You made me spar without it before.”

Steve… couldn’t really explain it to Tony, could he? Not in the way it would make sense, anyway.

“It’s just—“ Steve bit his lip, recalling the moment his punch had landed. “The way you looked at me. Like you thought I would really—“

“Hey,” Tony said sharply. “None of that. I know you wouldn’t hit me because of something like that. That’s not- Steve Rogers doesn’t do that. I was just confused. That's all, Winghead, really.”

Steve studied Tony’s face for a trace of a lie, but his expression was firm and determined, and nothing like the face Tony made whenever he tried to twist the truth to make someone feel better.

“Okay,” Steve said quietly, as if to himself, some of the tension easing off his shoulders. “I’m still sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Tony insisted, huffing little. “I told you to improvise, and you did exactly that.”

Steve was already forming another argument in his head, but Tony wasn’t having any of it:

“C’mon, you’re going to ice it. JARVIS, tell the rest of the team to delay the movie night a bit. We’ll be up in a minute. And don’t let Hulk touch the popcorn before we get there.”

**Author's Note:**

> this is very vague. i've never been punched in the face, unfortunately, so i have no idea how long it takes for swelling to appear.


End file.
